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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. clip — a video
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. cue — a signal
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. cue — for pool
  8. stock — shares
  9. stock — goods
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. tube — the underground
  16. clip — to cut
  17. snap — to click
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. clip — for paper
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. tube — a container
  23. toast — bread
  24. cue — a hint

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com